Star Wars Episode 2 Screenplay
by darthnut
Summary: A tale of friendship and revenge.


Title: Star Wars Episode 2: The Apparent Death

Author: ron

Author e-mail: [ronnysoh@magix.com.sg][1]

Rating: no sexual or violent content

Summary: This Ep2 screenplay does not have Artoo, Threepio or Jar Jar in it. Instead it focuses entirely on Anakin, and the friendship between Anakin and Obiwan. It starts off with the sightings of mysterious battleships hovering over several planets, and Anakin and Obiwan being on a mission to investigate the truth of such a sighting over Tattoine. There is a major battle in the story, including the mass assassination of Jedi Council members by five Sith Lords. One of the Sith Lords try to kill Anakin, but is killed instead. Anakin assumes the identity of the dead Sith Lord to avenge his mother's death, which precipitates in Anakin's first major step to the Dark Side. The origin of Vader's helmet/mask is told here.

This story is based on characters and situations created and

owned by Lucasfilm, Ltd. No money is being made and no

infringement is intended.

****

A vast sea of stars serves as the backdrop for the main title, followed by the text which recedes to infinity.

STAR WARS

EPISODE 2

THE APPARENT DEATH 

It was a time of apparent peace in the Republic during the past ten years under the leadership of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. The Trade Federation has been disbanded, following the exposure of their invasive tactics at Naboo ten years ago.

The Supreme Chancellor had been introducing a series of changes that consolidated his power. Most members of the Senate support him, but a number have secretly started to oppose him.

But this apparent peace is about to end. Without warning mysterious battleships have been sighted simultaneously over a number of planets. The Jedi Council has dispatched several Jedi Knights to investigate each of these sightings.

****

PAN DOWN the vast backdrop of stars, to reveal a grey military starship moving towards a greenish-blue planet. Dozens of pods are jettisoned out from the underbelly of this starship. The pods shoot towards planet's atmosphere.

****

INTERIOR (MILITARY STARSHIP) 

(Several uniformed and helmetted commondos are manning the bridge of the starship.)

JUNIOR COMMANDO: Captain, the pods have been released and are headed into the atmosphere of Bossch.

(The Captain silently nods his helmetted head, in acknowledgement.)

****

EXTERIOR -BOSSCH SKY 

(The pods streak through the clear blue Bosschian sky, eventually landing amidst foliage growth lodged in the high-altitude valleys clefted between mountain peaks.)

****

EXTERIOR - BOSSCH MOUNTAINS

(Zoom in on one of the landed pods, to reveal hundreds of soldiers wearing battle armor and helmets emerging from the open hatch of the pod, marching into the highland woods.)

****

SWIPE TO a vast black starfield, to reveal another grey starship similar to the first one, hovering above a reddish planet. Dozens of smaller pods are spewed out from the underbelly of the starship, speeding towards the planet's reddish atmosphere.

****

INTERIOR -MILITARY STARSHIP

(Several uniformed commondos are manning the bridge of the second starship.)

JUNIOR COMMANDO: Captain, the pods have been released and are headed into the atmosphere of Sullust.

****

EXTERIOR -SULLUSTIAN SKY

(The pods streak through the hazy reddish Sullustian sky, eventually landing amidst the jagged volcanoes.)

****

EXTERIOR -SULLUSTIAN VOLCANO

(Zoom in on one of the landed pods, to reveal hundreds of similarly armored soldiers emerging from the open hatch, marching down the stone paths spiralling down the sides of the volcano.)

****

SWIPE TO a vast black starfield, to reveal another grey starship similar to the first two, hovering above a bluish planet. Dozens of pods are jettisonned towards planet's atmosphere.

JUNIOR COMMANDO: (VOICE OVER) Captain, the pods have been released and are heading into the atmosphere of Krell.

****

EXTERIOR -KRELL ATMOSPHERE

(The pods streak through the clear blue sky, eventually landing on a huge island in the middle of a limitless expanse of ocean.)

****

EXTERIOR -KRELL ISLAND 

(Zoom in on one of the landed pods, to reveal hundreds of soldiers wearing armor and helmets emerging from the open hatch of the pod, putting on some sort of breathing apparatus. They dive into the ocean; their descent through water propelled by some device strapped to their backs.)

****

SWIPE TO a black starfield, to reveal a red REPUBLIC CRUISER speeding towards the camera at great speed. PAN with the cruiser as it shoots towards a small yellow planet that stands out among the numerous pin-lights in the vast blackness of space.

****

INTERIOR -REPUBLIC CRUISER 

(A bearded OBIWAN KENOBI is sitting down, watching his apprentice, ANAKIN SKYWALKER, spar with three levitated spherical training remotes. The three remotes space themselves out equi-angled around Anakin, and fire simultaneously. Anakin jumps up to avoid their shock bolts, and swings his blue lightsabre mid-sommersault to slice one of them into smoking halves.)

OBIWAN: Wow...take it easy there. Don't destroy all the remotes— you will need them for future training sessions. 

ANAKIN: Sorry, Master... **(the remaining two remotes position themselves in front and behind Anakin)** I'll be more careful... **(the remote in front fires, while Anakin ducks in time and the bolt hits the opposite remote, which falls to the ground in a paralysed spasm. At the same time, Anakin force-pushes the remaining remote towards Obiwan, who ducks, but not fast enough, and the remote hits Obiwan's head)**...this time!

OBIWAN: Very funny.

ANAKIN: Sorry, Master. I had to disable them without destroying them. **(With a smirk) **I am saving them for future training sessions.

OBIWAN: Very funny, Anakin.

****

(Obiwan chides Anakin, but he has a look that seems to say he is happy with the remarkable speed of his padawan. The captain of the cruiser comes in.)

CAPTAIN: Sir.

OBIWAN: Yes, Captain?

CAPTAIN: We have reached the planet Tattoine, Sir.

OBIWAN: Good. **(Rubbing his head where the remote had hit him)** Anakin, let's go to the pilot's cockpit.

ANAKIN: Yes Master.

OBIWAN: And wipe that smirk off your face.

ANAKIN: Yes Master. **(Anakin breaks into an even greater smirk, behind his master's back.)**

****

INTERIOR- REPUBLIC CRUISER- PILOT'S COCKPIT

(Obiwan and Anakin's back face the camera. Together with the captain and his co-pilot, the four of them stare ahead through the screen at the yellowish-brown planet in front of them. A huge grey battlecruiser looms over the planet.)

OBIWAN: Captain, Send a transmission to the Jedi Council at Coruscant immediately. Tell them that the report of a battlecruiser hovering over Tattoine is true.

CAPTAIN: Yes, Sir.

ANAKIN: This could mean that the other reports of battleships hovering over dozens of other planets could be true as well.

OBIWAN: It looks to be so, Anakin.

****

(The battleship jettisons pods towards Tattoine's atmosphere.)

ANAKIN: (points at the jettisonned pods) Look, Master. 

OBIWAN: I have a bad feeling about this, Anakin.

ANAKIN: Master I have to contact my mother.

OBIWAN: Didn't you already speak to her a few hours ago?

ANAKIN: Yes, I did. But now I have to tell her to go into hiding.

****

INTERIOR -REPUBLIC CRUISER- PASSENGER HOLD

(Anakin communicates with Shmi on the screen.)

SHMI: If this is true then why are you here, Annie? It could be dangerous for you here. You should go back, Annie, far away from trouble.

ANAKIN: Mom, it's you who could be in danger. Anyway I'm here on the Council's instruction to investigate that report.

SHMI: Son, I know you schemed your way here. Didn't you say that there were a number of other planets also to investigate? And of all people you were chosen for Tattoine?

ANAKIN: Mom...all right, I'll be honest with you. I did plead with the Council to allow me to investigate Tattoine. 

****

(Shmi gives Anakin a knowing look.)

ANAKIN: Mom, and there's more. I've come to...

****

(A loud sound is heard over the transmission channel. Shmi turns her head, a look of alarm on her face.)

ANAKIN: ...free you...Mom, what's that? Are you all right? Mom? Mom?

****

(The transmission breaks up. Anakin looks distraught. Obiwan comes in.)

OBIWAN: Anakin, what's the matter?

ANAKIN: I don't know... something must have happened... the transmission just broke up suddenly. Master, we've to get down to the planet surface immediately.

OBIWAN: Anakin, we 're here just to confirm the sighting and our instructions are to head back to Coruscant straight thereafter.

ANAKIN: (Loudly) Master, my mother could be in trouble!

****

(Obiwan weighs this request, then sighs.)

OBIWAN: Anakin, when you volunteered so strongly for this mission, you knew you were going to go down to the planet surface, didn't you?

****

(Anakin evades Obiwan's eyes.)

OBIWAN: I am your master, but also a friend, Anakin. You should have trusted me enough as a friend to level with me back on Coruscant. I could have made a plea on your behalf to the Council to let you visit your mother whilst on this mission. 

****

(Anakin does not answer.)

OBIWAN: You have not been fair to me.

(With that Obiwan turns and walks to the pilot's cockpit.)

****

INTERIOR- REPUBLIC CRUISER- PILOT'S COCKPIT

(Obiwan and the pilots stare ahead at the planet looming in front of them.)

OBIWAN: Captain, prepare to go down to the planet's surface. Land near the outskirts. We don't know what troubles could have seized the town.

CAPTAIN: (with a surprised look) Sir, weren't we supposed to head back to Coruscant immediately?

OBIWAN: There's been a change of plans. 

****

EXTERIOR- TATTOINE, OUTSKIRTS OF MOS ESPA

(The Republic Cruiser lands on the outskirts of Mos Espa. The exit hatch lowers, and the two Jedi emerge down the ramp.)

OBIWAN: Let's take the swoop bikes. It'll be quicker that way.

ANAKIN: Master, I am grateful to you for this.

OBIWAN: Let's just find your mom and get back to Coruscant.

****

(Obiwan and Anakin ride off on their swoop bikes.)

****

EXTERIOR- TATTOINE, OUTSKIRTS OF MOS ESPA

(Two swoop bikes speed towards Mos Espa. But as they approach the town, they notice smoke billowing into the sky, like as if the town were burning.)

ANAKIN: Something's wrong, Master.

****

(Obiwan and Anakin walk cautiously through the smoking town. The town seems deserted, like a ghost town-- so different from the bustling spaceport that Anakin grew up in. The two Jedi unhook their lightsabres from their belts. As they approach Watoo's junkshop, a frozen look suddenly seizes Anakin's face.)

ANAKIN: Oh noo…

****

(Anakin runs towards the junkshop. A collapsed entrance tent and blaster-marks marrs the appearance of Watto's shop.)

OBIWAN: Wait, Anakin!

****

INTERIOR- WATOO'S JUNKSHOP

(Anakin rushes in, searching the rounded interior spaces for signs of life. He finds none. He then rushes out into the rear junkyard. Obiwan follows closely behind. They spot a forlorn creature sitting on top of a scrap engine part.)

OBIWAN: (whispering) You know him? 

ANAKIN: Yes, he's my former master.

ANAKIN: (in Huttese) Watoo, what happened here?

****

(The blue creature looks up at the two strangers.)

WATOO: (in Huttese) Who are you?

ANAKIN: (in Huttese) Do you not recognise me?

****

(Watoo squints and stares, then his face lights up.)

WATOO: (in Huttese) Arrhh, yes! You're back! Look at you- you're all so grown up now.

****

(Watoo flies up; his tired wings suddenly coming to life and beating in the air. He ruffles Anakin's hair.)

WATOO: **(as he holds up Anakin's single length of braided hair)** What happened to you? What kind of weird fashion is this?

ANAKIN: (in Huttese) Err...Watoo** (Anakin reclaims his braid from Watoo)** Where's my mom? What happened here?

WATOO:(in Huttese) Arr...it was so sudden. 

ANAKIN: (in Huttese) What was?

WATOO:(in Huttese) The attack. There was no reason for such an attack. They didn't even steal anything. They just destroyed everything and left.

ANAKIN: (in Huttese) Did you see them? What did they look like? 

WATOO: (in Huttese) Uniforms, And helmets. They all looked alike. Hundreds of them.

****

(Anakin and Obiwan look at each other with a disturbed look on their faces.)

ANAKIN: (in Huttese) Where are they now?

WATOO:(in Huttese) I don't know. They left.. Disappeared suddenly. But not before they destroyed my place, those scumbags. If I'll ever catch up with them I'll turn them into Bantha fodder.

****

(Anakin looks at the weathered- and beaten-looking creature, and thinks not.) 

ANAKIN: (in Huttese) Just left? And they wanted nothing, asked nothing?

WATOO: (in Huttese) Well, they did ask for the names of any slaves I had.

ANAKIN: (in Huttese) Watto, where's my mother?

WATOO: (in Huttese) She's ...errr...I...sold her away many years ago.

****

(A look of shock crosses Anakin's face. He had communicated frequently with his mother to find out how she was, to comfort her, to tell her that he would one day return to see her. Why had she not told him of the changes in her whereabouts?)

ANAKIN: (in Huttese) Where is she now?

WATOO:(in Huttese) I sold her to Jabba and Gardulla. She stays at their palace.

ANAKIN: (turns to face Obiwan) Master, I know where the palace is.

OBIWAN: Anakin, wait!

****

(Anakin runs through the junkshop and out into the external space where their swoop bikes were parked. Obiwan rushes out after Anakin. The two Jedi mount their swoop bikes and zoom off.)

****

EXTERIOR- TATTOINE- THE JUNDLAND WASTES

(Two swoop bikes speed through the desert wasteland towards Jabba's palace. The route passes through strange landscape formations, like rock archways and long, narrow winding canyons. Halfway through their journey, they spot unlikely additions to the rocky landscape: dozens of deserted durasteel pods lying next to canyon walls.) 

ANAKIN: Look Master.

OBIWAN: I see them.

ANAKIN: Shall we stop?

OBIWAN: Let's check them out. The Jedi Council may want to know who these attackers are. 

****

(They dismount their bikes and walk towards the deserted pods. Suddenly laser bolts are shot from seemingly out of nowhere. Obiwan and Anakin instinctively brandish their lightsabres to deflect these shots.)

OBIWAN: There's no time to stop to fight them. Quick, Anakin, hop on!

****

(Anakin immediately understands what his master's plan is. He switches off his lightsabre, and hops onto the rider's seat. Obiwan jumps onto the passenger seat behind Anakin; his lightsabre still switched on.)

OBIWAN: Off we go, Anakin!

****

(As Anakin speeds off, Obiwan stands on the rear seat of the speeding bike, and deflects laser blasts, which are coming from somewhere in front of them. Some of Obiwan's deflected shots strike home- a few of the helmetted warriors fall, revealing their hidden vantage location. Once the bike speeds past the shooters, Obiwan does a twist in mid-air, and lands standing on the rear seat facing backwards and deflects shots now coming from their rear. After some distance, the laser blasts seem to stop.)

ANAKIN: Do you recognise who they are?

OBIWAN: **(still standing up facing backwards)** Yes, but it's strange. I thought Mandalorian warriors had become extinct hundreds of years ago.

****

(No laser blasts were shot for some time.) 

ANAKIN: You can quit showing off now, Master. 

****

(Anakin slows down his bike.)

OBIWAN: Showing off? 

****

(Obiwan asks this even as he does a mid-air twist and lands seated on the rear seat, now facing frontwards.)

****

EXTERIOR- TATTOINE- OUTSIDE JABBA'S PALACE ENTRANCE

(Obiwan and Anakin reach Jabba's palace. A large vaulted tunnel marks the entrance.)

ANAKIN: There's no door, Master. Anyone could simply walk right in.

OBIWAN: Which is how Jabba likes it, I guess. He has nothing to fear from thieves. He would love it more if thieves and such scum visited him.

ANAKIN: You have such a penetrating sense for the truth, Master.

****

INTERIOR- JABBA'S PALACE

(Obiwan and Anakin walk down the cavern tunnel, lightsabres in hand, prepared for any sudden attack. But none happens, even when they reach Jabba's throne chamber.)

ANAKIN: This is strange, Master. There seems to be no one around.

OBIWAN: Jabba must be hiding. We'll look for some sort of secret underground chamber. Here, let's see where this stairwell leads down to.

ANAKIN: **(with a cheeky smile)** You first, Master. I'll cover your back.

OBIWAN: How brave of you, considering it's the front that is more likely to bring trouble.

ANAKIN: **(with a look of mock admiration)** You truly have a penetrating sense for the truth, Master. 

****

(Obiwan and Anakin walk down the dimly lit stairwell. When they reach the bottom, they see a movement in the shadows. Anakin moves quickly to intercept.) 

ANAKIN: (to the creature) Where is everyone else?

****

(The creature has three eyes, each eye on a long separate stock, somewhat like the people of Malastare, but this creature's eye stocks are much longer.)

CREATURE: Don't hurt me...

ANAKIN: I won't if you tell me what I want to know.

CREATURE: I don't know anything...let me go...

ANAKIN: (angrily) Tell me!

****

(Obiwan reaches out to gently grip Anakin's arm, a gesture to remind Anakin to calm down.)

ANAKIN: Now I will ask you again. Where is everybody?

CREATURE: I don't know...aargh...

****

(The creature suddenly appears to be chocking. He falls to the ground. His hands reach for his throat, trying to find the mysterious source of his chocking. The creature looks up, and sees Anakin's fingers aimed at him, in a pincer gesture.) 

OBIWAN: Stop it, Anakin. You'll kill him.

ANAKIN: **(still staring down hard on the creature)** Where ...is ...EVERYBODY? 

CREATURE: (with choking sounds)...se ...cret ... cham ...ber...turn... 

****

(Anakin releases his Force-grip on the creature's throat.)

CREATURE: (with sudden gasping relief)... they're in the Secret Chamber gaspsTurn left down the corridor gasps then press the stoneblock next to the torch. The opposite wall will swivel gasps to reveal the Secret Chamber.

****

(Anakin swiftly proceeds in the direction the creature mentioned. Obiwan instantaneously catches up.)

OBIWAN: What was that for, Anakin?

ANAKIN: That was called 'effectiveness', Master.

OBIWAN: You could have gotten him killed.

ANAKIN: I'm sorry if I made you worry a little back there, Master. But I knew what I was doing. I didn't make it that tight, just tight enough to make him take me seriously.

OBIWAN: That's not how we are supposed to use the Force, Anakin.

ANAKIN: We had to get the information out of him. Surely the ends justify the means?

OBIWAN: A Jedi gets too near the Dark Side when anger motivates his actions, Obiwan.

ANAKIN: But Master that wasn't real anger. That was just mock anger, to frighten him.

****

(Obiwan does not say anything, but looks at his apprentice, as if trying to fathom the depth of his apprentice's soul.)

ANAKIN: Look, Master. Jabba's court.

****

(They emerge into a large underground cavern. Jabba sits on his throne at the far end of the cavern.)

OBIWAN: So we were right. Jabba is hiding down here.

****

(Obiwan and Anakin walk towards the centre of the underground secret chamber. Everybody in Jabba's court look at the two advancing strangers. Obiwan and Anakin proceed to face Jabba.)

JABBA: (in Huttese) Who are you and what do you want?

****

(A silver protocol droid who stands next to Jabba interprets the question for Obiwan and Anakin.)

OBIWAN: Your Highness, we are Jedi Knights. I am Obiwan Kenobi, and this is my apprentice, Anakin Skywalker.

JABBA: (in Huttese) That name sounds familiar.

****

(Jabba's Twilek advisor, Bib Fortuna, leans over and whispers something to Jabba.)

JABBA: (in Huttese) Ah... yes, the little boy who beat the great Sebulba in the Boonta Eve many years ago. You have grown, little boy.

ANAKIN: (steps forward to address Jabba) Thank you. Exalted One. I am happy to see that you are well, under the circumstances. 

JABBA: (in Huttese) Hmmm...you must be referring to the attack by the masked warriors. They stormed my palace so suddenly. My palace entrance has always been open to anyone who wishes to come in, but now I see my folly.

OBIWAN: What did they want?

JABBA: (in Huttese) Nothing of valuable. But they killed all my guards when they came in. I am most displeased. Had they not surprised us, I would have defeated and killed them and taken great joy in drinking their bodily juices.

OBIWAN: Great Jabba, my apprentice here is looking for his mother, and we...

JABBA: (in Huttese) I do not run an old folk's home here...

****

(Anakin steps forward.)

ANAKIN: Your Greatness. Permit me to explain. My mother is a slave who once belonged to Watto, a junk dealer. Watto informed us that he had sold her to you many years ago. This is why we sought your audience. 

JABBA: (in Huttese) I see. However I do not know all my slaves personally. And I cannot be of help to you.

ANAKIN: We will compensate you well for the release of my mother.

JABBA: (in Huttese) And I would be happy to take your money. However, I do not have her. 

****

(Obiwan and Anakin look at each other.)

JABBA: (in Huttese to Bib Fortuna) It appears that what those wretched commando warriors took from us has some value, after all. At least to these two Jedi.

OBIWAN: How do you know you do not have her, if you don't know who she is?

JABBA: (in Huttese) They have taken all of them.

ANAKIN: Mighty Jabba, you mean the masked warriors attacked your palace and took all the slaves? Only the slaves?

JABBA: I grow tired of these endless questions. Do you have anything to offer me as gift or homage? Or else leave. It has been an annoying day for me.

OBIWAN: Thank you, Exalted One. We will leave now. However, just one more question. Do you know where these warriors took the slaves?

JABBA: They only said that all those slaves would be sent to the planet Krath.

****

(Obiwan and Anakin look at each other.)

OBIWAN: Thank you Mighty Jabba. We leave in peace.

****

(Obiwan and Anakin bow, turn and walk away. They head back up the staircase and walk through the throne chamber and out through the entrance tunnel.)

****

EXTERIOR- JABBA'S PALACE

(Obiwan and Anakin walk towards their swoop bike.)

ANAKIN: Master, where's Krath?

OBIWAN: I believe it's a world at the opposite side of the galaxy, from Tattoine.

ANAKIN: That's extremely far away, Master.

OBIWAN: We will leave at once, and head speedily back to Coruscant … Anakin? Are you all right?

****

(Anakin falters and struggles for support. Obiwan quickly comes to Anakin's aid.)

OBIWAN: What happened?

ANAKIN: My mother. She is in deep pain. I felt her pain. 

OBIWAN: We have to make haste to Coruscant and seek help from the Council. Hurry Anakin let's get into the starship.

****

Swipe to:

EXTERIOR (SPACE)- OUTSIDE TATTOINE ATMOSPHERE

(Obiwan and Anakin's red Republic Cruiser speeds away from Tattoine, which appears yellowish-brown from space.)

****

Swipe to:

EXTERIOR (SPACE)- OUTSIDE CORUSCANT ATMOSPHERE

(Obiwan and Anakin's red Republic Cruiser **approaches Coruscant. It is a bluish planet with a network of criss-crossing golden lines weaving across its surface.)**

OBIWAN: We will seek an audience with the Jedi Council immediately, Anakin. They must be waiting for news from us.

ANAKIN: Yes Master. Do you think they will grant me permission to go to Krath?

OBIWAN: We shall see. But Anakin, do not sneak off on your own. Be fair to me. I may be your master, but a friend as well.

ANAKIN: **(looking directly into Obiwan's eyes)** Yes I will be fair to you.

****

INTERIOR- JEDI TEMPLE

(The Jedi Council has convened a meeting to discuss Obiwan and Anakin's findings. Obiwan and Anakin stand facing Yoda and Mace Windu.)

YODA: Unfortunate this is.

OBIWAN: We still do not know the reason why Shmi and the other slaves were taken.

YODA: Mindful we have to be. A greater darkness at work here I sense.

OBIWAN: You think the rounding-up of the slaves is part of a greater scheme?

MACE WINDU: Anything is possible during these moments of troubles. We have consolidated all the reports of the attacks made by these mysterious commando warriors and have noticed a pattern in their current movements.

OBIWAN: Pattern?

MACE WINDU: After randomly attacking more than a dozen worlds, they are now all heading towards the planet Krath.

ANAKIN: What???

YODA: Tell us, Padawan Anakin, why surprised you, at the mention of Krath?

ANAKIN: My mother is on Krath, Master Yoda.

****

(Yoda and Mace Windu look at each other.)

MACE WINDU: (changes the topic away from Anakin's mother) We believe this might be a move to cripple the supply of durasteel to Republic worlds. Krath is a planet rich in raw durasteel.

****

(Obiwan looks surprised.)

MACE WINDU: Durasteel is the fundamental material we need to build our battle cruisers and starships. It appears someone might be interested in crippling the Republic's ability to produce battle cruisers.

OBIWAN: Or in producing a lot of war machines themselves. Master, what is the Senate doing about this?

MACE WINDU: The senate is divided in opinion. Many of the senators are lobbying to have the Republic send military support to their respective home planets, to protect their own home planets from a fresh wave of attacks. But the Supreme Chancellor wants to consolidate the Republic's forces and send them to Krath.

OBIWAN: The Supreme Chancellor's going to attack the commando warriors at Krath?

MACE WINDU: Yes, and the Council has decided to send a hundred Jedi knights to accompany the Supreme Chancellor's forces to Krath.

OBIWAN: And what should my padawan and I do?

ANAKIN: Masters! I am ready to head off to Krath with our other Jedi brothers.

YODA: Master Obiwan, has your padawan shown mastery over his fear and anger?

****

(Obiwan ponders for a moment before he answers.)

OBIWAN: Yes, from a certain point of view. 

MACE WINDU: A certain point of view?

OBIWAN: He did not give in to anger, Master. He merely impersonated anger to frighten a living being.

****

(Yoda and Mace Windu look at each other.)

MACE WINDU: You will be allowed to search for your mother only after fulffiling your mission at Krath. And when you search for her, you have to be mindful of the dark emotions. 

YODA: A test this will be for you, young padawan.

ANAKIN: I will not fail you, Masters.

****

INTERIOR- SENATE HALL

(A session of the Senate is in motion. Thousands of pods are lined along the inner walls of the huge domed Senate Hall. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine addresses the assembly.)

PALPATINE: Members of the Assembly, this is a moment of truth for the Republic. We have to unite, in order to rise to the challenge of this new foe that now threatens the peace of so many Republic worlds.

****

(A pod carrying the delegates from the planet Malastare floats into view towards the centre of the assembly hall.)

MALASTARE SENATOR: How can we just send all our forces to one place? That would leave too many of our own home planets unprotected.

PALPATINE: The chair has not recognised the Senator from Malastare. But nonetheless, since this is the crucial point of the sentiment that many of you have, I will allow this question to be surfaced now before the Assembly. Do any of you wish to voice your opinion on this?

****

(A pod carrying the delegates from the planet Bossh floats towards the centre of the assembly hall.)

SENATOR HOPINA FROM BOSSH: We have never consolidated our military strength before. We do not know how to structure it. Who ...

****

(A pod carrying the delegates from the planet Krath comes forward to interrupt.)

SENATOR THOKKOR FROM SULLUST: (interrupts)This is incredible. My world is under seige from the combined forces of these commando warriors and all the Senate does is to ...

PALPATINE: (interrupts): Senator Thokkor, the chair has not recognised your turn to speak. 

****

(Senator Thokkor tries to speak, but his microphone has been rendered inactive.)

PALPATINE: Senator Hopina, you may continue with your question.

SENATOR HOPINA FROM BOSSH: If we consolidate our military, how will we structure it?

PALPATINE: We have to structure the command of the military under a single line of instruction, or else we would be too caught up in endless debate amongst ourselves to respond quickly enough to any external attack. 

****

(A pod carrying the delegates from the planet Krell floats into view towards the centre of the assembly hall.)

SENATOR FROM KRELL: But who would hold that authority? We would be engulfed in yet another debate **(at this point the murmur amongst all the gathered delegates in the hall becomes audible) **on who should hold this sole key to the military. In either case, endless debate seems inevitable.

PALPATINE: That will not be so, in the light of what I will soon be proposing to this esteemed assembly.

****

(Zoom in on Palpatine, to reveal a subtle, crafty smile on his lips.)

****

INTERIOR- JEDI TEMPLE

(Obiwan and Anakin are near the ending of their discussion with the Jedi Council.)

OBIWAN: Thank you, my Master, we will meet Master Mace Windu and our other Jedi brothers at the spaceport later today to prepare for our journey to Krath.

ANAKIN: (bowing to Yoda) I thank the Council for giving me the permission to seek out my mother after the battle at Krath is done.

MACE WINDU: Fight well alongside your fellow Jedi at Krath. Bring your mother back with you to Coruscant without recourse to anger and aggression.

YODA: May the Force be with you.

****

(Obiwan and Anakin bow and walk out of the Jedi Council meeting chamber.)

MACE WINDU: It is unfortunate that his mother is missing. It will definitely be a distraction for him.

YODA: Careful, we must be, or his anger will run uncontrolled.

MACE WINDU: Which is why we should not obstruct him from his search for his mother. This will be a test of how he uses his increasingly formidable powers.

YODA: Yet a tendency to the dark emotions I still sense in him.

****

Swipe to:

EXTERIOR- SENATE HALL CORRIDOR

(After their meeting with the Jedi Council, Obiwan and Anakin walk along the Senate corridor. The Senate is in reccess, and many delegates stand along the wide corridors, discussing animatedly with one another the proposal that Palpatine offered. Anakin spots the regal figure of Queen Amidala standing near the outdoor balcony overlooking the city of Coruscant.) 

ANAKIN: Master that's Padme over there. 

OBIWAN: Let's go over.

****

(When Queen Amidala notices Obiwan and Anakin walking towards her, she breaks into an unguarded smile.)

OBIWAN: (with a bow) Your Highness.

ANAKIN: **(bows and takes a quick look around him and confirms that no one other than Captain Panaka is within earshot distance. He takes a second bow, comically exaggerated this time, and kisses her hand.)** Your Highness, Handmaiden Padme.

****

(Padme suppresses a smile. Obiwan, Anakin and Captain Panaka exchange greetings.)

PADME: Anakin, you've really grown tall. It's not that apparent when I see you in the communications screen.

ANAKIN: It's due to all the stretching exercises my master here puts me through.

****

(Obiwan puts on a mock-innocent look and shrugs. Padme breaks into a laugh.)

ANAKIN: Please, please, Your Highness, your must not be seen by all these people around here laughing too gaily. You are supposed to be this regal and upright...

AMIDALA: (interrupts) ...stiff and uptight personage. Yes, thank you, Annie, for reminding me.

OBIWAN: (to Captain Panaka) Captain, I wish to discuss some security issues with you, especially in the light of the recent attacks.

OBIWAN: (bowing to Padme) Your Highness, please excuse us.

****

(Obiwan leads Captain Panaka away from Anakin and Padme.)

ANAKIN: Crafty old goat.

PADME: Annie! That's your master.

ANAKIN: All right then. Crafty old bearded goat.

PADME: Anakin!

****

(Anakin and Padme distance themselves a little more from the crowd)

ANAKIN: I will be going to Krath.

PADME: No! Surely there are other Jedi who can go. 

ANAKIN: I'll be all right, I promise.

PADME: But you have not completed your training.

ANAKIN: There will be many other padawans on this mission as well. They will accompany their masters.

PADME: I was hoping to spend time with you, Annie. Do you really have to go?

ANAKIN: My mother is in Krath. That's why I have to go.

PADME: Krath? Why is she there?

ANAKIN: It's a long story, Padme. I'll tell you when I bring her back with me.

****

(Padme places her hand on Anakin's arm and gently carresses it. Anakin pulls her towards him and holds her in his arms.)

PADME: Oh, Annie. Someone might see us.

ANAKIN: Will we see each other tonight before I leave?

PADME: Yes.

ANAKIN: At your quarters.

****

(Some dignitaries walk past where Anakin and Padme are standing.)

ANAKIN: (clears his throat and bows to Padme) Your Highness, may I escort you back to the senate entrance.

AMIDALA: (her stiffness returns) If you could be so kind, young Padawan.

****

(Anakin and Queen Amidala walk back to the crowd. Obiwan and Captain Panaka rejoin them.)

OBIWAN: Ah, Your Highness. Enjoyed your walk of fresh air, I hope?

AMIDALA: Thank you, Master Obiwan, I did.

Captain Panaka: Your Highness, if I may, several Senators wish to meet you.

AMIDALA: Yes, of course, Captain. Who might they be?

CAPTAIN PANAKA: Senator Bail Antilles and Senator Mon Mothma, Your Highness. They are waiting for you over there.

OBIWAN: Your Highness, if you will permit, my apprentice and I will take leave of you. We have to prepare for the journey ahead of us.

AMIDALA: Certainly, Master Obiwan. May the Force will be with you in your mission. Please take care of this padawan here for me.

OBIWAN: Certainly, Your Highness.

ANAKIN: (He winks at her as he takes his bow.) Your Highness.

****

(Obiwan and Anakin break off from the group.)

CAPTAIN PANAKA: Your Highness, this way.

****

(Queen Amidala and Captain Panaka walk towards the two senators standing near the balustrade. They both look to be in their late-20s. Senator Bail Antilles steps forward to greet the Queen.)

SENATOR BAIL ANTILLES: Your Highness. It's an honour to meet you. I am Bail Antilles of Alderaan. May I introduce to you Senator Mon Mothma, one of the Core World senators?

AMIDALA: Senator Antilles. Senator Mon Mothma. I'm honored by your presence.

MON MOTHMA: The honor is completely mine. Naboo has become famous among all the worlds in the Republic, after your bravery at defeating the Trade Federation ten years ago. Naboo has even produced the man who has become our Supreme Chancellor, although the two of you appear to be worlds apart.

AMIDALA: Worlds apart? Yes, he is extremely busy in Coruscant, while I am always back at …

MON MOTHMA: (interrupts) That was not what I meant, Your Highness.

****

(Queen Amidala looks surprised at the sudden seriousness in Mon Mothma's expression.)

MON MOTHMA: You are gentle and yet so brave, whereas he is so …ambitious.

AMIDALA: He has to be ambitious to have gotten to where he is.

MON MOTHMA: And to get to where he still wishes to get.

AMIDALA: Senator, perhaps you would like to make yourself clearer?

BAIL ANTILLES: Your Highness, you have heard Palpatine's proposal to the Senate to have all military power centred on only himself. Senator Mon Mothma and myself feel that that is a move of an individual who suffers delusions of grandeur.

MON MOTHMA: There is more to his proposal than merely the swift destruction of the commando wariors at Krath. He may not relinquish that power after the enemy is destroyed.

BAIL ANTILLES: We suspect he may even use that new power for greater …aggrandisement.

****

(Queen Amidala keeps quiet, as if deep inside, on her own, she has perceived the truth of their remarks.)

AMIDALA: What do you propose to do?

****

(Bail Antilles and Mon Monthma look at each other with an expression that says they had succeeded in getting through to the Queen.) 

MON MOTHMA: First, we need to identify all the delegates who feel the same way. In fact, we have already been doing so.

AMIDALA: Which is why you approached me. Tell me, Senator, what made you think I would see things your way?

BAIL ANTILLES: Ten years ago, you defeated the Trade Federation without depending on Palpatine's ascension. You had no vested interests in his assumption of the Supreme Chancellor position.

****

(Amidala remains silent for a while, as if thinking over the truth of Bail Antilles's statement.)

AMIDALA: In any case the Senate has decided that Palpatine will be permitted to possess that power only if he is successful at swiftly destroying the enemy at Krath. I hear that the commando warriors are quite formidable. Palpatine's chances of success may actually be quite slim.

MON MOTHMA: You are correct, Your Highness. Which is why we are not making any outright moves now. We are just gathering our numbers.

****

(Amidala appears to ponder over the words 'gathering our numbers'.)

AMIDALA: Whom else have you spoken to?

MON MOTHMA: Your Highness, if we may, we'd rather not reveal names now.

AMIDALA: That seems fair. I apologise for asking.

BAIL ANTILLES: He has gotten so powerful. We do not wish to openly challenge him …until the time is right. 

****

Swipe to:

INTERIOR- CORUSCANT- QUEEN AMIDALA'S QUARTERS

(Amidala's handmaidens are helping her remove her elaborate attire.)

AMIDALA: Thank you, handmaidens, for being here everyday for me.

SABE: (speaking for the rest) It is our duty to serve you, Your Highness.

AMIDALA: I sometimes wonder if our people of Naboo respect me for who I really am, instead of this elaborate fabricated self. Who am I really?

****

(The handmaidens have removed the elaborate outer garments from their Queen. Ertae walks in from the outer chamber.)

ERTAE: Your Highness, this may be an odd time for you, but Anakin Skywalker is outside. Shall I ask him to leave?

AMIDALA: No, let him in.

****

(Ertae looks surprised, but does as she has been bidden.)

ANAKIN: (as he walks in) Angel.

AMIDALA: (to her handmaidens) Leave us for a moment.

****

(The handmaidens take leave of their Queen. They hide any expression that will reveal any curiosities they might have.)

PADME: Annie, I'm so glad you came.

ANAKIN: You look like an angel. 

PADME: And you're a funny young man.

****

(They hold each other.)

ANAKIN: Who was that you were talking to after Obiwan and I left you earlier today?

PADME: Oh that was nothing. Just dignitary courtesy.

ANAKIN: I recognised that young man, though. Wasn't he Bail Antilles? 

PADME: Yes. You seem to know a number of them.

ANAKIN: I stay on Coruscant all the time, remember? Some of them come by occasionally, which is more than you've done!

PADME: Pouty, pouty young man. How will I endure you when you become older?

ANAKIN: You won't have to.

PADME: **(suddenly disengages from Anakin and looks searchingly into his eyes)** Won't have to?

ANAKIN: **(laughs) **No I don't mean it that way. What I meant was that you won't have to endure me because I'll always be good to you and never turn bad.

PADME: And that's a promise.

ANAKIN: And that's a promise.

****

Swipe to:

INTERIOR- CORUSCANT- LAUNCHING HALL 

(A hundred figures in brown robes make their way towards an array of starships. Zoom in on Mace Windu, Obiwan and Anakin walking towards their starship.) 

OBIWAN: Ten years ago Master Qui Gon and I fought a Sith Lord. Do you think the Sith are involved again?

MACE WINDU: I hope not, Obiwan. However, we never did discover whether it was the master or the apprentice whom you destroyed.

OBIWAN: If that was the apprentice, I shudder to think the powers that the master may have.

MACE WINDU: Our immediate threat however is this mysterious commando army.

OBIWAN: Isn't it true that the Council suspects that the Sith are involved; if not why send so many Jedi?

MACE WINDU: We do not know for sure, Obiwan, but it is the feeling of impending gloom that made Master Yoda and myself decide to involve so many of our brothers. While we do not agree with the Supreme Chancellor's proposal to consolidate all military authority in his hands, we still wish to defeat this mysterious threat. And having them all converge on Krath is an unexpected opportunity we must seize.

ANAKIN: Masters, if I may ask a question …

MACE WINDU: Go ahead, young padawan.

ANAKIN: …what if all this is a trap?

****

(Mace Windu and Obiwan suddenly stop walking and look at each other, then at Anakin.)

MACE WINDU: (softly, as if deep in thought) But which phantom menace could mastermind such a grand trap?

****

Swipe to:

EXTERIOR- PLANET KORRIBAN

(Pan across the blackish landscape of Korriban. A constant electrical storm sizzles between the low-lying clouds and the desolate landscape. Even with the intermitant illumination caused by the lightning storm, the rocky landscape looks black, as if it absorbs all light. Set amidst this black landscape, almost non-descript, is the Sith Monastery.)

****

INTERIOR- PLANET KORRIBAN- SITH MONASTERY

(The architectural interior of the Sith Monastery reflects the desolateness of its exterior world. Spaces are large and echoey. The Sith meeting chamber at the top of the tower is circular, like the Jedi Temple, except everything here is oversized and made of monumental blocks of cold, hard black-colored masonry. Outside the large circular window, the constant electrical storm can be seen. Within this chamber, a meeting convenes between Darth Sidious and six other Sith Lords.)

SIDIOUS: Lord Rage, has everything proceeded on Tattoine as planned?

DARTH RAGE: The slave woman has been captured. They have taken her to Krath.

SIDIOUS: You have done well, Lord Rage. Now I want you to proceed to Krath and liaise with General Tarkin to see that he successfully carries out my plan.

DARTH RAGE: As you wish, my Master.

SIDIOUS: Lord Cission, Lord Pierce, Lord Kaat, Lord Payne and Lord Narl, have you made your preparation to set things in motion on Coruscant?

DARTH PAYNE: Yes, Master, we ...

DARTH NARL: (rebelliously interrupts) But I see no point to your scheme. What about the reports of the Jedi fleet gathering towards Krath?

****

(Darth Narl wears a polished black kabuki-style helmet and a black mask that covers his forehead and eyes. His helmet looks a bit like Darth Vader's.)

SIDIOUS: It is of no concern to you.

DARTH NARL: But why do we need to go to Coruscant? Attacking the Jedi front-on, and on their own turf!

SIDIOUS: Lord Narl …ever so argumentative…

DARTH NARL: Why do I have to listen to you? When my master died, he instructed me to … 

SIDIOUS: Enough of this squabbling! (Sidious raises his fingers menacingly at Darth Narl) You will do as I have bidden…

****

(Darth Narl ignites his lightsabre and assumes an aggresive posture. Darth Sidious tightens the fingers that were pointed at Darth Narl, and lightning bolts issue forth to strike a surprised Darth Narl. In pain, Darth Narl falls to the ground on his knees.)

SIDIOUS: Yes …kneel, that's more like it. 

****

(Darth Narl looks up and snarls.)

DARTH NARL: Where did you learn such powers?

SIDIOUS: I am born of the very electrical storms that make this planet so inhospitable. Never test the anger of this planet, nor mine.

****

(Darth Sidious lowers his hands.)

SIDIOUS: (to all of six Sith Lords) For a long time we have passed down the one-master-one-apprentice lineage, but now our time has come! We have increased our numbers. But should any one of you become …argumentative… I will have no hesitation in going back to the ways of the old days.

****

(Darth Sidious stares at each one of them and waits for any objections. None comes.)

SIDIOUS: Good. Now begone and fulfill your missions!

****

Swipe to :

EXTERIOR: SPACE- OUTSIDE CORUSCANT ATMOSPHERE

(An armada of twelve Republic Cruisers leaves the atmosphere of Coruscant. Six of these ships are blue Correlian Corvettes, one of which is the one Mace Windu, Obiwan and Anakin boarded. The other six are Republic military modifications of the standard Correlian Corvette. The bodies of these six ships have a battleship-grey color.)

****

INTERIOR: REPUBLIC CRUISER

(Anakin and a co-pilot are at the controls of the lead Correlian Cruiser. Mace Windu and Obiwan stand behind them.)

MACE WINDU: (to Anakin's co-pilot) Karin, send the instruction to all ships to prepare for the hyperspace jump to the Krath System.

KARIN: Yes, Sir.

ANAKIN: Master, has there ever been a mission so large before, involving a hundred Jedi knights? 

OBIWAN: Not in recent history, Anakin. For that matter neither has any Supreme Chancellor in recent history ever sent out six battleshiploads of Republic soldiers.

KARIN: All ships ready to make the jump, Sir.

MACE WINDU: Anakin, you may proceed.

****

(Anakin punches the hyperdrive controls. They look through the screen at the hundreds of pin-lights suddenly changing into streaks of white light as they jump through hyperspace.)

****

EXTERIOR: SPACE- OUTSIDE CORUSCANT ATMOSPHERE

(Camera point-of-view- from the back of the twelve Republic Cruisers. The starships zoom off and disappear quickly into infinity.)

****

Swipe to:

EXTERIOR: SPACE- UNKNOWN LOCATION

(In the meanwhile, another armada of six battle starships has grouped in an unknown sector of the galaxy. Each battleship is ten times the size of the typical Republic Cruiser. The hulls of these battleships have a distinctive wedge shape, and look like prototypes of the later Imperial Star Destroyers. They have several odd attachments to their hull, which make them look slightly less sleek than the later Star Destroyers, but no less majestic.)

INTERIOR: UNKNOWN BATTLESHIP

(Several uniformed men stand at the large bridge. Their uniforms look like the grey uniform of later Imperial military personnel. One of them is tall and thin, with gaunt features conveying a distinctive look of arrogance and meaness.)

LIEUTENANT: (to the gaunt person) General Tarkin, our ships are ready.

TARKIN: Give the order to all ships to make the jump.

LIEUTENANT: Yes Sir.

TARKIN: (to the captain standing next to him) Send the message to Lord Rage confirming our departure to Krath.

CAPTAIN: Yes, General. 

****

EXTERIOR: SPACE- UNKNOWN LOCATION

(The six Star Destroyer-like battleships disappear into hyperspace.)

****

Swipe to:

EXTERIOR: SPACE- APPROACHING PLANET KRATH

(The armada of twelve Republic starships approaches a greyish planet.)

****

INTERIOR: REPUBLIC CRUISER

(Anakin and a co-pilot are at the controls of the lead Correlian Cruiser. Mace Windu and Obiwan stand behind them.)

ANAKIN: Here we are, Krath. It looks so desolate, even from space.

OBIWAN: The planet's surface is filled with durasteel. That grey we see from here is due to that metal's abundance.

ANAKIN: Why would all the slaves be brought here?

MACE WINDU: Something dark is behind all this. The commando army has converged here as well. It cannot be a coincidence.

ANAKIN: When this battle is over I will search for my mother on this planet.

MACE WINDU: You have the Council's permission.

****

EXTERIOR: KRATH ATMOSPHERE

(The armada of Republic cruisers flies above the grey, angular landscape of Krath. The ships spot a clearing and prepare for landing, when suddenly blasts hit the starships. One of the cruisers takes heavy damage, and veers uncontrollably and collides into another.)

INTERIOR: ANAKIN'S CRUISER

(A look of alarm suddenly crosses their faces.)

ANAKIN: We're under attack!

MACE WINDU: Anakin, land with all shields intact! Karin, send the instruction to all ships to land with shields intact!

****

(Karin, Anakin's co-pilot speaks into an on-board comlink.) 

KARIN: Instructions sent, Sir.

ANAKIN: It will be a bumpy landing with the shields up, but under the circumstances it's the best thing.

****

EXTERIOR: ABOVE KRATH'S LANDSCAPE 

(The armada of Republic cruisers descends to the surface and prepares for a rough landing. Enemy blast shots cease when the cruisers fall below 100 meters above ground. Only ten cruisers are left, the other two having crashed.) 

****

INTERIOR: ANAKIN'S CRUISER

(Mace Windu, Obiwan, Anakin and Karin brace themselves for a rough landing. Their ship hits the ground with a jerk, then comes to a stop.)

MACE WINDU: (to Karin) Instruct everyone except Team 6 to alight and meet on the ground next to our cruiser. Instruct Team 6 to help survivors of the two crashed cruisers.

KARIN: Yes, Sir.

****

(Karin sends out the instruction, while Mace Windu, Obiwan and Anakin leave the pilot's cockpit and descend the starship's exit ramp. Many Jedi Knights and Chancellor Palpatine's soldiers descend from the hull of their respective starships and proceed to where Mace Windu stands. A single explosion shakes the ground, and then it becomes silent. Everyone scans their surrounding for the source of this new blast.)

ANAKIN: Master, do you hear that?

****

(The rumbling sound becomes louder. From beyond a nearby angular ridge in the metallic landscape, a number of battle tanks come into view. They look like modified versions of the ones used by the droid army ten years ago at the Battle of Naboo. Directly behind the front row of tanks are hordes of commando warriors mounted atop slick speeder bikes. The tanks begin firing.)

MACE WINDU: Quick. Everyone into positions.

****

(The Jedi Knights form a traingular phalanx formation, with Mace Windu, Obiwan and Anakin at the apex. The phalanx formation moves towards the attackers. ZOOM THE CAMERA OUT to view this formation from above. It looks like a giant arrowhead on the ground, moving slowly but inexorably towards the tanks. The Jedi Knights use their lightsabres to deflect the laser blasts. The other non-Jedi soldiers march behind the Jedi protection front.)

ANAKIN: Master, this seems easy.

OBIWAN: Don't get cocky, kid. 

MACE WINDU: Once we close the distance the tanks will be of no advantage to them. Then Chancellor Palpatine's forces can play their part.

****

(But the enemy plays a different tactic. The commando warriors on their speeder bikes, initially hiding behind the tanks, now suddenly come to the fore. Thousands of these warriors shoot forward from the gaps between tanks. Most of them wear greenish-grey battle armor and helmets that entirely cover their faces, like Boba Fett's armor. But the leaders at the forefront wear red helmets.)

ANAKIN: Master, they look like the ones that attacked us on Tattoine.

MACE WINDU: They look like the extinct Mandalorian warriors we see in our history books.

OBIWAN: For an extinct race they sure have very large numbers!

ANAKIN: Master, what are they up to? Don't they know they will have better chances of survival against us if they stay behind those tanks?

OBIWAN: If they don't know, then now's the time to give them that lesson!

ANAKIN: Well-said, Master!

MACE WINDU: (to Obiwan and Anakin) You two! Stop jabbering. Focus on what you have to do!

ANAKIN: (whispering into Obiwan's ears) Master, he's a serious one. What's his problem?

OBIWAN: He's just …

****

(Obiwan suddenly stops walking and frowns in concentration.)

OBIWAN: Anakin! Be mindful! Something's not right.

MACE WINDU: What do you sense?

OBIWAN: I sense the presence of ...something I have not felt since...

****

(Obiwan is about to finish his sentence when the hundreds of speeder bikes carrying the commando warriors collide into the Jedi ranks. Many of the commandos jump off their bikes and attack the Jedi Knights. A huge battle ensues, and the Jedi's phalanx formation breaks up into confused disarray. The commandos use a combination of blasters and mini tow cables, which they shoot out from under their wrists. They have surprising speed and agility, and can effortlessly sommersault in the air to avoid the Jedi Knights' lightsabre slashes.)

ANAKIN: (fighting back-to-back with Obiwan) Master! They are surprisingly good fighters!

OBIWAN: Be mindful, Anakin. Something's not right!

ANAKIN: Master, watch out! Behind you!

****

(A black warrior, totally different looking from the Mandalorians, jumps off his speeder bike to assault Obiwan from behind. Anakin intercepts the black warrior's lightsabre downward slash, while Obiwan rolls on the ground to avoid the attacker. Although the warrior is entirely clad in black garments, the color of his torso and face can occasionally be seen when his robe billows up. It is the color of the deepest red, the color of hot angry blood.)

ANAKIN: A Sith Lord!

OBIWAN: That must have been the presence I sensed just now.

****

(Darth Rage intensifies his attack and pushes Obiwan and Anakin back with his super-agile strikes and counter-strikes. Soon Obiwan and Anakin are separated from the main body of skirmish. The black warrior pushes them even further away from the battle site. Then the black warrior suddenly stops attacking and switches off his lightsabre. 

DARTH RAGE: If you want to see your mother alive you will follow me.

****

(Obiwan and Anakin look at each other. Confusion takes over Anakin's face.)

ANAKIN: **(switches off his lightsabre)** Who are you? 

DARTH RAGE: I am your future brother.

****

(Anakin looks at Obiwan, who shrugs his shoulders, dumbfounded. Then Anakin looks back at the black warrior and smiles.)

ANAKIN: That's right, and your father is my mother's son's real father.

****

(Darth Rage appears to get a little confused and chews over what Anakin said. He appears not to get it.)

DARTH RAGE: No matter.

****

(Darth Rage turns and walks away. He imperceptively takes out his comlink.)

DARTH RAGE: (whispers into his comlink) They are falling for it. Ready the hoverbarge.

ANAKIN: Wait! You said you knew where my mother is.

OBIWAN: Let him go Anakin. 

****

(Darth Rage walks on.)

ANAKIN: (angrily) Where is my mother?

DARTH RAGE: (stops walking and turns back to face Anakin) You wish to see her?

****

(Obiwan and Anakin stop walking to avoid closing the distance between themselves and the Sith Lord.) 

ANAKIN: Where is she?

DARTH RAGE: You will surrender your lightsabres to my men.

****

(As if on cue, a hoverbarge appears from the grey horizon.) 

OBIWAN: It compromises us to allow ourselves to be captured by a Sith Lord, Anakin.

ANAKIN: But we …I …have no choice, Master.

****

(Obiwan looks at Anakin with compassion in his eyes. He pauses a moment before replying.)

OBIWAN: We, Anakin. WE, have no choice.

****

(The hoverbarge stops near them and a group of commando warriors emerge from the hull. Obiwan and Anakin surrender their lightsabres to the commando warriors. The commandos prod the two Jedi with their blasters to egg them onto the hoverbarge.)

COMANDO: (prodding Anakin with a blaster) Quickly!

ANAKIN: (to the commando) What's your hurry?

****

Swipe to:

EXTERIOR: SPACE

(The armada of six Star Destroyer-like battleships emerges from hyperspace and arrive within the vicinity of the greyish planet Krath.)

****

INTERIOR: STAR DESTROYER-LIKE BATTLESHIP

(General Tarkin and two of his captains look out through the large spaceshield screen at the planet.) 

CAPTAIN: General Tarkin, we have arrived at the planet Krath.

TARKIN: Good. Move them all into position.

CAPTAIN: (to his subordinate) Send the coordinates to all ships. Instruct them to aim their turbolasers at the two instructed coordinates on the planet's surface.

TARKIN: Lord Sidious will be most pleased with me.

CAPTAIN: Who, sir?

TARKIN: (staring down hard at the captain) Your future master. The Galaxy's future master.

****

EXTERIOR: BATTLEGROUND AT KRATH'S SURFACE

(The Jedi and the Mandalorian warriors are engaged in a heated battle. Mace Windu and the Jedi however are holding well against the warriors, despite the great disparity in numbers. Suddenly many of the warriors appear to falter on their own. They just collapse and die on their own.)

JEDI KNIGHT: Master Windu, what is happening to them?

MACE WINDU: I don't really know, but it appears that these warriors are spontaneously dying.

****

(Within a short moment the battle ends, due to the spontaneous deaths of the warriors. A few Jedi Knights lift the helmets off some of the fallen warriors. The dead warriors' faces all look alike.)

JEDI KNIGHT: They are clones of each other!

MACE WINDU: And defective ones at that.

****

Swipe to:

INTERIOR: STAR DESTROYER-LIKE BATTLESHIP

CAPTAIN: General Tarkin, all our ships have targetted both the instructed coordinates.

TARKIN: Have we received confirmation from Lord Rage?

CAPTAIN: Yes General. He has transmitted the clearance for us to proceed.

TARKIN: Good. You may fire when ready.

****

EXTERIOR: SPACE- KRATH

(Three of the six wedge-shaped battleships point congruently towards a specific spot on the planet.. The other three point towards a second spot. Super-charged laser beams shoot out from the battleships towards two points on Krath.)

EXTERIOR: BATTLEGROUND ON KRATH

(Mace Windu and a few Jedi Knights examine the bodies and uniforms of the dead clones.)

JEDI KNIGHT: Master Windu, there are some strange marks on the inside of their wrists.

MACE WINDU: Yes, most uncanny. It looks like the wrists were ripped off from some kind of … common tissue.

****

(Laser beams suddenly appear from the sky and strike down on all the Jedi Knights and Republic soldiers. Mace Windu looks up at the sky, and for a brief moment cries out "Master!", before he collapses to the ground. In a few seconds, the entire terrain becomes a scorched mass grave. )

EXTERIOR: SOMEWHERE ELSE ON KRATH

(The hoverbarge on which Obiwan and Anakin are captured speeds towards the horizon of the grey rockscape of Krath.)

INTERIOR: HOVERBARGE

(Obiwan and Anakin are standing in the gloomy cell inside the hoverbarge. Suddenly they hear the distant roar of a thunderous explosion. Anakin has a look of frozen terror on his face.)

ANAKIN: My mother!

OBIWAN: I sensed many voices crying out in pain. Something terrible has happened to our Jedi brothers.

ANAKIN: I sensed my mother's pain!

****

(Anakin jumps up to the door of the prison cell and yells.)

ANAKIN: Hey! Open the door!

OBIWAN: Anakin. Stay calm.

****

(No one acknowledges Anakin's shout.)

ANAKIN: Open the door now or I'll be forced to open it myself.

****

(Further silence greets Anakin's shout. Frown lines of concentration appear on Anakin's forehead, and then the door suddenly bursts outwards from its hinges.)

ANAKIN: Master, let's go.

OBIWAN: Anakin, we can't reverse whatever terrible thing just happened.

ANAKIN: Master, it may be that our Jedi brothers have suffered a cruel fate, but I fear the worst for my mother!

****

(Anakin rushes to go up the deck of the hoverbarge.)

OBIWAN: Be careful. We don't have our lightsabres.

ANAKIN: Master, the strange thing is that I don't sense the presence of the Sith Lord anymore.

OBIWAN: Neither do I.

****

(They reach the upper platform of the hoverbarge deck. The whole hoverbarge looks deserted.)

OBIWAN: The barge was on autopilot all this while.

ANAKIN: But where are we being taken?

OBIWAN: (pointing at a tower in the distance) There, that fort.

****

(The hoverbarge arrives at the smoking fort. Obiwan and Anakin survey the destruction.)

ANAKIN: It's completely destroyed.

OBIWAN: By a tremendous blast from the sky. Look, everything within the centre of the fort has collapsed into a crater. Only a blast from above could create such an impact.

ANAKIN: But why destroy an empty fort? Unless …

****

(A sudden expression of fear overtakes Anakin.)

ANAKIN: Oh…nooo!

****

(Anakin runs into a half-crumbled staircore to go down into the underground levels of the fort. Many dead bodies of the masked warriors lie scattered along the staircase.)

ANAKIN: Mom! Mom!

****

(Anakin emerges from the staircore into the underground level. Hundreds of bodies lie scattered on the floor. Half of the bodies belong to the masked warriors, who appeared to be the captors of the other half, who are tied by chains to bits of crumbled walls. Obiwan walks up to Anakin and puts a consoling hand on his shoulder.)

OBIWAN: She might not have been here at all.

ANAKIN: I fear she was.

OBIWAN: Anakin, let's go.

ANAKIN: No! I have to find her. 

****

(Anakin begins his excrutiating and heartrending search for his mother.)

****

Swipe to:

EXTERIOR: CORUSCANT (NIGHT SCENE)

(A dark ship lands on a platform a short distance from the Jedi Temple. The ship looks like Darth Maul's fighter. Five black hooded figures emerge from the ship. They stride confidently towards the Jedi Temple.)

****

Swipe to:

INTERIOR: KRATH- UNDERGROUND LEVEL OF FLATTENED FORT

(Anakin finds Shmi among the myriad scattered bodies.)

ANAKIN: (softly) Mom …

****

(Anakin kneels before the dead Shmi and picks her up. Obiwan, a small distance away, walks towards Anakin.) 

ANAKIN: Mom …mom…

****

(Anakin presses his cheeks against Shmi's.)

ANAKIN: Why? Why? 

****

(Anakin looks up at the sky.) 

ANAKIN: (shouts) WHY?

****

(Anakin, with Shmi still cradled in his arms, falls to the ground and cries.)

OBIWAN: (with pity in his voice) Anakin.

****

(Obiwan takes Shmi from Anakin's arms. Obiwan walks towards the half-crumbled staircore, carrying Shmi. He turns to look back at the sobbing Anakin.)

OBIWAN: Anakin. Let's go. We have to find the battleground where our ships are docked.

****

(Obiwan and Anakin board the hoverbarge and proceed off.)

****

EXTERIOR: KRATH BATLEGROUND

(Obiwan and Anakin arrive at the battleground. They get off the hoverbarge, and leave Shmi's lifeless form on the deck of the hoverbarge. They walk towards what was only a moment ago the site of an intense battle, but now a burnt mass grave. They survey the carnage.)

OBIWAN: The same blast that came from the sky. 

ANAKIN: But why?

OBIWAN: This magnitude of firepower could only have come from a large number of starships from space. The outcome of the battle was not decided on the ground. It was decided from space.

****

(A moan calling out Obiwan's name comes from a short distance away. Obiwan and Anakin check it out.)

OBIWAN: (runs and cradles Mace Windu) Master Windu!

MACE WINDU: (struggling to speak) Obiwan … clone army … defective…

OBIWAN: Master, do not speak. We will take you to the ship immediately and tend to you. 

MACE WINDU: Obiwan …it's too late …for me …the clone army …dying anyway …they fell by the hundreds …on their own …genetically …defective…

****

(Mace Windu dies cradled in Obiwan's arms.)

OBIWAN: So many deaths in just one day.

ANAKIN: But who could have organised such an attack?

OBIWAN: And wiped out both sides? Anakin, we have to proceed back to Coruscant immediately. I have a bad feeling about this.

ANAKIN: (points at two glittering objects in the distance) Master look there.

****

(They walk towards the objects. They see their lightsabre handles pierced into the ground. There are strange markings on the ground surrounding the pierced lightsabre grips.)

OBIWAN: These are Sith markings.

ANAKIN: It must be that Sith Lord who left our lightsabres here for us. He tricked us away from this battleground when the blasts came.

OBIWAN: You are right Anakin. Someone wants us alive to witness the carnage here.

****

(Obiwan carrries Mace Windu. They both walk to their abandoned starship.)

****

EXTERIOR: KRATH ATMOSPHERE

(Obiwan and Anakin's ship takes off.)

EXTERIOR: SPACE- OUTSIDE KRATH

(Obiwan and Anakin's ship leave the atmosphere of Krath. The ship shoots off into hyperspace.)

****

INTERIOR: ANAKIN'S STARSHIP

(Anakin pilots the starship, which is approaching Coruscant. Obiwan communicates with another Jedi Council member from Coruscant. Anakin's back is turned to the camera.)

OBIWAN: He what? Our own Supreme Chancellor?

ADI GALIA: He gave the orders to destroy the battleground with battleships he had been building over the years.

OBIWAN: How did the senate not know Palpatine was secretly building battleships all this while?

ADI GALIA: They didn't. But it doesn't matter now. The Senate is so pleased with the Supreme Chancellor's decisiveness in defeating the enemy at Krath that they did not bother questioning him about the secret building of battleships. What's more is they have decided to let him keep his sweeping military powers.

OBIWAN: But the clone army was genetically defective. Master Windu said they were dying spontaneously by the hundreds every minute anyway. There was no need to send down such firepower onto the battle site.

****

(Shift the camera point-of-view to Anakin. Anakin is sitting silently still all though the conversation between Obiwan and Adi Galia. Anakin's facial expression is intensely inward, as if brooding silently to himself.)

ADI GALIA: Master Windu is alive?

****

(Pan camera back to face Obiwan.)

OBIWAN: (pauses for a while) The blasts from the Chancellor's warships killed him.

ADI GALIA: The blasts from the Chancellor's starships? But I thought all our brothers were wiped out when your ships tried to touch down on the planet! 

OBIWAN: We were attacked by laser canons from the ground when we touched down. They hit two of our ships, but the clone army didn't destroy Master Windu and our brothers. The Chancellor's ships did.

ADI GALIA: That wasn't what we were told. We were told that someone sent an emergency message saying that the clone army destroyed all your ships when you touched down.

OBIWAN: Someone? Who could that be?

ADI GALIA: Well, we all thought it must have been one of your pilots. That was why the Chancellor decided to unleash his secret warships on Krath— to end the war decisively.

OBIWAN: The Chancellor's ships targetted two key areas where there were high concentrations of Mandalorian warriors.

ADI GALIA: Two? I don't understand. Were there two battlegrounds?

OBIWAN: One was the battle site itself. The second was a fort holding many slaves captive.

ADI GALIA: The slaves were all destroyed? This is tragic.

****

(Shift the camera to reveal Anakin's slowly building look of anger on his face.)

OBIWAN: (off-screen voice) Master Adi Galia, we are approaching Coruscant now. I will discuss matters with the Council when I reach the Temple in a short while.

****

(Shift the camera back to Obiwan showing him switching off the communicator screen.)

OBIWAN: Anakin, are you alright? You have been extremely quiet all through the journey.

****

(Shift the camera to Anakin, who has a steely look of hatred on his face, but because Anakin's back is turned to Obiwan, Obiwan does not see this.)

ANAKIN: (with a measure of strain in his voice) I'm just tired Master.

****

Swipe to:

EXTERIOR: CORUSCANT- OUTSIDE THE JEDI TEMPLE (NIGHT SCENE)

(Five figures garbed in black robes stride confidently past the Jedi Temple into the Jedi Quarters where the council members reside. Each quarter is a cube that is inserted into the walls of a sinous artificial hill. The sinous hill appears to carry all the mechanical and electrical services necessary to sustain and make life comfortable in the cubes. The five dark figures gain silent entry into the quarters of one of the council members who wakes up to the sound of intrusion.) 

PLO KOON: What are you doing …(sensing the presence of evil) Sith Lords!

DARTH PAYNE: Prepare to meet your destiny, Jedi.

****

(Plo Koon swiftly moves to arm himself with his lightsabre. An unequal, and short fight ensues. Plo Koon was a famed fighter, but the five dark fighters easily slaughter Plo Koon.) 

DARTH CISSION: All too easy.

DARTH PAYNE: Only because Lord Sidious taught us how to mask our presence from the Jedi.

DARTH CISSION: Until it is too late for them.

****

(Darth Narl snarls.)

DARTH NARL: One day I am going to kill him.

DARTH CISSION: Why do you hate him so much? He is our master now.

DARTH NARL: He is no master of mine. He killed my real master.

DARTH PAYNE: We will stay in a group and destroy the Council members one by one, as a group. Then we will break up and individually take out some of the other Jedis. 

****

(The five Sith Lords walk out of Plo Koon's quarters.)

****

EXTERIOR: CORUSCANT- OUTSIDE JEDI TEMPLE (NIGHT SCENE)

(Anakin's ship lands on a docking platform near the Jedi Temple. They emerge down their ship's exit ramp and walk towards the Jedi Temple.)

ANAKIN: Did you feel that?

OBIWAN: Feel what?

ANAKIN: It was just for a very brief moment— the presence of the dark side. 

OBIWAN: The presence of the dark side is a very distinctive sensation. I felt it ten years ago when my master's killer was on Naboo, and again today on Krath. The sensation doesn't come and go.

****

(Anakin does not reply, but returns to his expression of silent brooding.)

OBIWAN: I will head for the Temple to arrange for a meeting with the Council. Meet me at the Temple in half an hour.

****

(Obiwan and Anakin split up. Anakin walks alone to the Jedi Quarters.)

****

INTERIOR: ANAKIN'S QUARTERS

(Anakin enters his quarters. It is dead quiet, and he appears uncomfortable.)

VOICE: Jedi.

****

(Anakin turns to the source of the voice. A dark warrior stands in the shadows. He wears a black polished helmet and a black mask that covers his forehead and eyes. )

ANAKIN: Who are you?

DARTH NARL: Your executor.

ANAKIN: Aren't you also going to greet me as your future brother?

DARTH NARL: You are just my next victim.

****

(Darth Narl ignites his red lightsabre and moves to attack Anakin. Anakin ignites his blue lightsabre to defend himself. A furious fight takes place. During the fight Anakin's focus appears to be far away, as if he was concentrating on something other than the fight at hand. But even though he does not seem to be focusing on the fight, Anakin more than adequately defends himself against his attacker. After a few moments, a stalemate ensues. The two warriors disengage from their fight, and stand apart, facing each other.)

ANAKIN: **(lowers his lightsabre)** WHY? Tell me WHY?

DARTH NARL: **(lowers his defenses) **Why what?

ANAKIN: Why …**(Anakin moves with incredible speed towards Darth Narl)** …must **…(he brings his lightsabre down to the left, which Darth Narl tries to block)** … so many people … **(he suddenly switches his attack to the right instead and cuts Darth Narl down with one swift stroke)** …DIE IN ONE SHORT DAY?

****

(Darth Narl falls on his knees, shock on his face.)

DARTH NARL: (with choking sounds) Only one person …can move …this fast. …you must be … the …Chosen …One.

ANAKIN: (to himself) Chosen to suffer.

****

(Darth Narl drops to the floor, dead.)

ANAKIN: (to himself) Chosen to avenge.

****

(Anakin removes the dark warrior's helmet and mask.)

Swipe to:

EXTERIOR: FOOT OFJEDI TEMPLE

(Obiwan is at the foot of the Jedi Temple tower, on his way up when Yoda walks towards him.)

YODA: Presence of the dark side I sense.

OBIWAN: That's strange. Anakin said he felt the same thing, although he said it was only for a brief instant. 

YODA: Master Obiwan, where is your apprentice?

OBIWAN: He was supposed to meet me here ten minutes ago. Maybe he is too exhausted to come.

YODA: Always defending him you are.

OBIWAN: He needs time alone. He found his mother dead on Krath.

****

(Yoda looks around.)

YODA: Knocking on our door fate is. 

****

Swipe to:

INTERIOR: PALPATINE'S QUARTERS

(Palpatine is in his quarters communicating on the video screen with another senator. He is completely unaware of his impending doom.)

PALPATINE: They will not block our proposal.

SENATOR: But there are rumors some senators have banded together to oppose you.

PALPATINE: The minority is of no cencern to us. When a vote is taken they cannot overule the majority. And the majority has vested stakes in our proposal being passed.

SENATOR: But these opponents may gather greater numbers through time!

PALPATINE: You are overconcerned. I will leave you now to your numbing worries, Senator.

****

(Palpatine switches off his video communicator. An eerie silence fills the quarters.)

VOICE: Chancellor.

****

(Palpatine turns around in the direction of the voice. A man in dark robes with a polished black Vader-like helmet and black mask stands in the shadows.)

PALPATINE: What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with your master?

DARK FIGURE: Which master would you be referring to?

PALPATINE: The master we all serve. Are you trying to play word games with me?

DARK FIGURE: I serve only one thing.

PALPATINE: And that would be …?

DARK FIGURE: That … **(moves with lightning speed towards Palpatine)** …would be …**(ignites his blue lightsabre that only a moment ago remained hung on his tunic belt)** …JUSTICE. 

****

(Before Palpatine can even blink the dark figure strikes him down with his lightsabre. Palpatine slumps to the floor. The dark figure switches off his lightsabre, and the eerie silence returns to fill the room. The dark figure stands aloof, with the lifeless heap of Palpatine's dead body at his feet. The dark figure contemplates the act he has just committed.)

VOICE: Good.

****

(Thinking that he was alone, the dark figure turns in surprise to the source of the voice. A hologram of Darth Sidious stands in the quarters.)

HOLOGRAM OFSIDIOUS: Your hate has made you powerful.

DARK FIGURE: Who are you? 

HOLOGRAM OFSIDIOUS: In time you will call me Master.

DARK FIGURE: You are greatly mistaken. Leave me alone.

HOLOGRAM OFSIDIOUS: I will, for now. But I have forseen that in time you will seek me out. It is your destiny.

****

(The hologram fades out. The dark figure stands alone, unmoving, still staring at the lifeless body on the floor.)

Swipe to:

EXTERIOR: JEDI QUARTERS

(Yoda and Obiwan approach Saesee Tiin's quarters.)

OBIWAN: Something feels wrong Master.

YODA: The Sith are here. And cloaked their presence they have learned.

OBIWAN: How could they have masked their presence? Evil has a strong aura.

YODA: Forget not, Master Obiwan, that the Sith have not been around for a long time. Lost the ability to acutely sense the Sith the Jedi have. Easy it will be to mask their presence from us.

****

(Yoda and Obiwan reach Saesee Tiin's quarters. The door is wide open, but no light pours out. They enter the dark interior. Obiwan is startled to see the faint outlines of a body lying on the floor.)

OBIWAN: **(rushing to the body and cradling it)** Master Tiin!

YODA: Unfortunate this is.

OBIWAN: What about the others?

****

(Obiwan rushes out of Saesee Tiin's quarters and runs to the next cube. Yoda shakes his head in regret, then sighs as he lowers his head, as if in mourning.) 

Swipe to:

EXTERIOR- JEDI TEMPLE

(Anakin rushes to the Jedi Temple to look for Obiwan.)

INTERIOR- JEDI TEMPLE

(Anakin rushes up to the top of the Jedi Temple tower. He runs into the circular meeting chamber. Yoda and Obiwan are already there.)

ANAKIN: Masters! There was a Sith Lord here on Coruscant!

OBIWAN: We know Anakin. There might even have been more than one.

ANAKIN: More than one? Did you encounter them?

OBIWAN: No Anakin. But it definitely takes more than one to assassinate all our brothers.

ANAKIN: **(surprise in his voice)** …assassinate…?

OBIWAN: All the Jedi Council members— Plo Koon, Saesee Tiin, Yarael Poof, Even Piell, Eeth Koth, Oppo Rancisis, Depa Billaba, Yaddle, Ki-Adi-Mundi— we found them all dead.

****

(Anakin has a look of shock on his face.)

YODA: The work of the Sith this is.

OBIWAN: Only Adi Galia might have been spared the fate. She seems to have disappeared.

OFF-SCREEN VOICE: No I've not disappeared. 

****

(Adi Galia walks in.)

ADI GALIA: (bows to Yoda) Master.

YODA: Fortunate your fate appears to be.

ADI GALIA: I saw them depart. There were four of them. I noticed them after I did a little spying on Chancellor Palpatine.

ANAKIN: You what?

ADI GALIA: Why do you seem so tense, Anakin?

ANAKIN: Nothing. I was just wondering why you would do such a thing.

ADI GALIA: Master Yoda, if I may explain myself. After what Master Obiwan said about the clone army dying spontaneously, I began having suspicions about Chancellor Palpatine's motives. I took it upon myself to spy on him.

OBIWAN: And what did you find out?

ADI GALIA: He was placating another corrupt senator. They were talking about building up more military forces.

OBIWAN: When does he intend to do this?

ADI GALIA: He's dead now. 

****

(Yoda and Obiwan look surprised.)

YODA: Assassinated? By the Sith Lords?

ADI GALIA: Yes. He wore a black helmet and a black mask over his face. He gave the Chancellor little time to react. He was so swift. And then his master visited him.

****

(Yoda and Obiwan look at each other.)

YODA: His master, you say?

ADI GALIA: Yes. A hologram image of his master appeared. It was however difficult to make out the master's face because it was shrouded in a hood.

OBIWAN: What did they talk about?

ADI GALIA: It was difficult to make out the words. But it did seem as if they had never met before. I could have been mistaken.

OBIWAN: (facing Yoda) Master, word of this mass assassination must not get out. If all the worlds knew that most of the Jedi Council members and the Supreme Chancellor were murdered there would be political chaos in the Republic.

ADI GALIA: Chaos has already started.

YODA: Hammered down our door fate has.

****

INTERIOR- SITH MONASTERY

(A meeting between Darth Sidious and five Sith Lords convenes in the top circular chamber of the Sith Tower. The constant electrical storm sizzles outside the large circular opening.)

DARTH RAGE: Yes, Master. I have done your bidding. The woman slave from Tattoine has been destroyed.

SIDIOUS: Good. You have done well, my apprentice.

****

(Sidious faces the other four Sith Lords.)

SIDIOUS: (with a look of mock sympathy)It is so unfortunate our brother Lord Narl is not here. He must have met someone who was more than his match.

DARTH PAYNE: One death for ten of theirs is a victory for us. 

****

(Darth Sidious turns to face the large circular opening that frames the electrical storm outside.)

SIDIOUS: An even greater victory awaits us, my apprentices.

DARTH CISSION: What about The Chosen One? He is still a good friend of that powerful Jedi, Obiwan Kenobi, who killed Lord Maul ten years ago.

SIDIOUS: I will deal with the young one myself. As for their friendship, sometimes the greatest of falling-out happens between the closest of friends. One changes immediately from friend to foe, with no middle ground.

****

(Darth Sidious still stands with his back turned, looking through the large circular opening at the electrical storm outside. The five Sith Lords await his next command.)

DARTH PAYNE: What about Chancellor Palpatine?

****

(Darth Sidious turns around to face the Sith Lords.)

SIDIOUS: Yes, my apprentice. How perceptive of you. It is unfortunate that this clone of mine has met his demise, but he has served me well. For a long time he has managed to deceive the Senate and bend them to our advantage. The time has come for me to replace him, and control the events at Coruscant more directly.

DARTH CISSION: What do you bid us do?

SIDIOUS: I will be leaving for Coruscant immediately. **(With a tone of finality)** You will await my next comand.

****

(The five Sith Lords bow in compliance.)

****

EXTERIOR- CORUSCANT- OUTSIDE THE SENATE

(The next day, Obiwan and Anakin walk towards the Senate entrance to meet Padme. The Senate is in recess, and there are many delegates standing around in the Senate Chambers foyer, animatedly discussing matters of state with each other.)

OBIWAN: Anakin, something's wrong. There's Padme talking to Chancellor Palpatine.

ANAKIN: Chancellor Palpatine?

****

(Padme and Palpatine, thirty meters away, walk towards Obiwan and Anakin.)

OBIWAN: (softly to Anakin) Don't act surprised. Nobody else except the four of us know that the Chancellor is supposed to be dead. 

ANAKIN: (softly) But how could he be …? Adi Galia saw him being killed.

OBIWAN: (softly) Perhaps she was mistaken?

ANAKIN: (softly) No, she was not.

OBIWAN: (softly) How can you be so sure?

****

(Padme and Palpatine reach Obiwan and Anakin.)

OBIWAN: **(bows to Padme and Palpatine)** Your Highness. Your Excellency.

****

(Anakin does not extend his courtesies, but stands rooted to the ground, eyes steadfastedly fixed on the Supreme Chancellor.)

PADME: Master Obiwan, thank you for taking care of this young padawan for me during those dangerous moments.

OBIWAN: It was my duty, Your Highness. Moreover, he capably took care of himself.

PADME: **(facing Anakin)** Young padawan, you have been so brave. I am sorry to hear of your mother's death.

****

(Anakin does not reply. He looks pale.)

PALPATINE: Are you alright, young padawan? You look like as if you've seen a ghost.

ANAKIN: I … I'll be alright. **(Turns to Padme)** It's just I've not seen you for such a long time and you look so absolutely fabulous. May I speak to you in person, Your Highness?

PADME: Yes of course.

****

(Anakin and Queen Amidala break away from Obiwan and Palpatine.)

PALPATINE: Don't they make such a lovely couple?

****

(Obiwan looks surprised.)

OBIWAN: How did you know?

PALPATINE: I know a lot of things, Master Obiwan. Their marriage is soon, is it not?

OBIWAN: Yes, it is. But they have not made the announcement yet. I'm surprised that you know. 

PALPATINE: I am so happy for Anakin. His future is so bright, so very bright. Or bright might not even be the word for it at all.

****

(Obiwan looks at Palpatine with a puzzled and disturbed look.)

****

END OF EPISODE 2

Written by 'ron'

Screenplay completed 31 April 2000

   [1]: mailto:ronnysoh@magix.com.sg



End file.
